What are the realistic chances of being in for Christmas?

[papaoomama]

We agreed an offer on our house nearly two weeks ago and had our offer accepted on our (hopefully) new house last Friday.

We've promptly got on with solicitors and paid for searches to get the ball rolling as I know they have a backlog of 4-5 weeks, we've got the mortgage valuation survey on the new house booked for Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on ours the buyers had the mortgage valuation survey done on Tuesday and buyers coming next week for a "measuring up" visit and to show parents (slightly nervous but I know for some this is the done thing)

All looks to be coming along gradually but wondering if this is likely to be new year now?

Before anyone says anything, I know things could fall through etc... but let's just say for arguments sake that things are fairly straightforward.

We were first time buyers 12 years ago when we bought this house so I can't remember how long it all takes!

Also meant to say, vendor of the house we will be moving to isn't in a chain as he can move in with his partner who has a property.

With a good solicitor, completely possible. We moved in 6 weeks. It was manic but it can be done. We had no chain, which helped. Just keep on top of your solicitor. Hopefully they're not too busy but they need to chase the other solicitors involved too.

Oh wow 6 weeks would be an absolute dream!

Yes I think when it all goes into solicitors hands it slows down a little! EA and solicitors are really good at keeping us updated but I doubt I'll hear anything today.

Even if they told me it was Jan I'd be fine - it's just the not knowing! Feel like I want to start packing things up, but daren't.

Our friends were in similar situation a few years ago and moved by 1st December so yes, it’s possible.

Do your buyers have a buyer or are they FTB? While it is entirely possible if nothing much is thrown up in the way of queries, it is possibly a tad optimistic. Do you really want to move right on Christmas? We've moved Christmas week twice now & its not ideal. It was exciting though! Just keep on top of the solicitors & EA. Let them know your wishes. Do the rest of the chain want pre Christmas completion too?

Hmm are we the same people? Also been in for 12 years, bought as FTB, and buying a chain free house, valuations were this week, their survey on our house was last week and our survey is on Monday. Really hoping to be in with enough time to put a Christmas tree up!

Sorry, our buyers are ftb.

No I don't want to move over Christmas to be honest 😆 Jan would be fine for me as I'm at work between Christmas and new year and work from my home office. Would be a rush to get internet all hooked up I bet.

We were in a similar situation. FTB moving into our house and we were buying an empty property so no chain. We bought/sold at the start of October and didn't move until the end of January. The FTB has used the estate agent's solicitor and they were absolutely crap.

If you want to be in by Christmas I would tell your solicitor that and the EA. Set the expectation now. How long it all takes can't be predicted but at least you should find out if any of the other parties doesn't want that.

We started a couple of weeks ago like you when we bought our house. Our FTB used the cheapest rubbish online solicitors they could. They were absolutely useless. After sending emails 2-3 times a day to our solicitors and estate agents we finally moved 10 days before Christmas.
It was honestly the most stressful thing I have ever done. I am never moving house again EVER!

If you’ve got good solicitors and good estate agents helping move the chain along then anything is possible

Oh blimey it all sounds scary. Yes we definitely don't want to move again after this either!

Got a toddler, dog, me and hubby and I'm pregnant but just want to click my fingers and for it all to be sorted 😆 The thought of doing it all is exhausting.

Hmmm maybe we could be in for Christmas then. I don't even know at what stage a completion date is agreed? After contract exchange which is probably weeks away I suppose.

You agree the completion date before you exchange as it gets written into the contract. There is no harm in saying now that you'd like to be in before Christmas as it gives everyone something to aim for.

We're trying to get in for Christmas, no chain (us rented to house, them house to rented) offer accepted May. Vendor wanted to complete in July. Then all kinds of things came to light

They had the survey done on our house last week. Not heard anything since (it was Tuesday).

My sales progression contact is away until Tuesday but think I'll give her a call for an update.

It's just the silence that's rubbish. I know things are happening behind the scenes but it makes it feel like nothing is and you're not getting anywhere.

I’m hoping for this too but feel a bit stupid as it’s all down to us really as we’re in rented and our seller is moving into rented. Our offer was accepted 3 weeks ago and we were very quick to get in with organising survey and full mortgage application. I was so nervous about getting the mortgage (FTB) and was sure we’d be rejected that I didn’t instruct searches yet as didn’t want to pay and then not get a mortgage. Mortgage offer was then very drawn out as we kept on having to provide extra documents but we finally received offer last week. So going to instruct the searches on Monday but now I’m nervous that there will be a back log. Had it in my head that we’d be in by mid November but I really should have instructed searches earlier!! We haven’t even filled out the initial solicitor forms with ID etc so have to do that on Monday too. Our solicitor has to do lots of confirm building regulations approval according to our survey so I’m hoping that doesn’t take ages!! Hope yours goes smoothly!!

@CantStandMeow that’s a long time!!! What sort of stuff came to light?

Yes I wonder if my buyers have instructed their searches yet. Think I'll check this out this week as there is a 4-5 week backlog where we are.

We instructed searches already on our next property but want to know if buyers have done it on ours yet.

A dd's FTB purchase was all done and dusted in 6 weeks - I was astonished, but it's possible.
But so much will depend IMO on whether your solicitor is speedy or belongs to the Messrs. Slow and Bideawhile (Anthony Trollope) cohort. Not to mention how active your estate agent is.

😆

ChristmasCookies possibly the highlight was she tried to sell the house in her own name, despite owning it jointly

We competed all forms for buying/selling process with our solicitors nearly two weeks ago now. We also paid for and subtracted searches on our new property.

Meanwhile, our buyers are coming for a "measuring up" viewing on Saturday with their parents and they haven't yet instructed searches. I feel very nervous about this.

Reason seems to be because our solicitors hadn't sent them the information back promptly enough (our solicitors online portal said it's been sent back days ago) so not sure what to believe.

At the moment they haven't made any sort of financial commitment so feeling very scared today. Also this viewing feels more like a "ask the parents if the house is a good purchase" rather than measuring up. Surely they should have done that before making an offer?

I'm just making myself very paranoid today I think.

We did it in 8 weeks around this time last year. We were ready to exchange and complete by the 15th December and would have moved then except our vendor told us last minute that she wouldn't be able to move in to her rented property until January. However it would have been possible if everyone had been on the same page, and that included long delays in land registry searches in our area. We had an excellent solicitor though.

8 weeks is amazing Boots!

Just heard from our EA and our buyer has just laid their solicitors so they'll start the process of searches.

The searches are the part that takes weeks and weeks so I'm glad they've finally got the ball rolling!

We are hoping to move before Christmas too! Perhaps naively - we bought out first house (current house) 4 years ago and almost everything to the day is the same date! Took us 7 weeks to move then.

This time we are moving to a vacant property and people buying our house are in rented so hopefully we can have a swift move!! ( we were supposed to move in August and had most of our stuff packed up but original sale fell through so desperate to get it all over with!)

We already had an offer accepted on our new house and we accepted our buyers a little over 2 weeks ago. Things feel to be moving very slowly - in particular because the people we are buying from sent the draft contract etc to the wrong solicitors doesn't sound overly promising but must stay optimistic!!!

Fingers crossed for you

We’re still looking. Prospective buyer was not interested to buy the property. It’s back to the beginning for us. I have advertised the property in a local paper and online too.

Buyer visit with both sets of parents went well today but am hearing from our EA that the searches won't be applied for until Monday. Their solicitors have the funds so not sure why the delay from Wednesday to Monday.

Just want them to start the ball rolling as I know that part can take a while